A system and method of recovering encoded information contained in a device by storing and retrieving at least part of the necessary decoding data by setting and measuring the physical characteristics of the device. Storage and recovery options include, but are not limited to, measurement of electronic or optical characteristics of electrically or optically conductive portions of the device using a range of measurement techniques that include, but are not limited to, time-domain reflectometry.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A method of recovering encoding information embedded in a non-transitory data storage medium, the method comprising: measuring, by a hardware device, a physical transmission characteristic of the medium as a signal pulse propagation between a beginning point and an end point of a signal conductor path; generating a value in response to measuring the characteristic depending upon a return signal propagated along said conductor path; and generating a security key as a representation of the embedded information based on the generated value by encoding said generated value to prevent unauthorized data access.
A method for retrieving hidden information from a storage device involves sending an electrical, optical, or ultrasonic signal pulse along a specific path within the device's hardware. A hardware device measures how the signal changes as it travels. Based on the returning signal, the system generates a unique value. This value is then encoded to create a security key representing the original hidden information, preventing unauthorized access. The signal path's physical characteristics influence the measured signal and subsequent key generation.
2. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising generating an encrypted key based on the encoded value.
The method for retrieving hidden information by measuring signal pulse propagation (as described in Claim 1) further includes generating an encrypted key based on the encoded value. This adds another layer of security to the access key derived from the physical characteristic measurement. The encryption prevents simple decoding of the value representing the device's physical properties.
3. The method of claim 2 , where the encrypted key is a decryption key to decrypt data stored in an encrypted memory operably connected to the medium.
The method for retrieving hidden information with an encrypted key (as described in Claim 2) uses that encrypted key as a decryption key to unlock data stored in a protected memory connected to the hardware device. The encrypted key, derived from measuring the physical characteristics of the data storage medium, serves to decrypt data held within the encrypted memory. This ensures data is only accessible when the correct key is generated from the appropriate device's characteristics.
4. The method of claim 2 , the method further comprising: determining if the generated key is a correct key by comparing the generated value to a predetermined value based on an expected measurement for said physical characteristic.
The method for retrieving hidden information and generating a key (as described in Claim 2) also checks if the generated key is correct. It does this by comparing the generated value (based on the physical measurement) to a pre-determined value that represents the expected measurement for the physical characteristic of the data storage medium. This verification step ensures the integrity of the key generation process before granting access.
5. The method of claim 1 , where the medium includes signal conductor with predetermined transmission characteristics, and where said measuring includes passing a signal through the conductor from a measurement starting point to a measurement ending point; and measuring a property of the signal conductor by comparing the signal at the measurement starting point and with the signal at the measurement ending point.
The method for retrieving hidden information (as described in Claim 1) involves a data storage medium containing a signal conductor with carefully defined transmission properties. Measuring these properties involves sending a signal through the conductor from a defined start point to a defined end point. The method compares the signal at the start and end points to determine specific characteristics of the signal conductor path, like impedance or signal delay, which are then used to create the security key.
6. The method of claim 1 , said generated representation of the embedded information including an access key for an encrypted device whose operation is contingent on receipt of a valid access key.
The method for retrieving hidden information (as described in Claim 1) generates a key that acts as an access key to an encrypted device. The device's function is locked until a valid access key is received. Therefore, the representation of the embedded information created from the device's physical characteristics functions as the access key required to operate the encrypted device.
7. The method of claim 6 , the method further comprising providing the access to the encrypted device, where providing an invalid access key causes the encrypted device to become permanently inoperable.
The method for retrieving hidden information and controlling an encrypted device (as described in Claim 6) provides the generated access key to the encrypted device. Critically, if an invalid access key is provided, the encrypted device is permanently disabled. This prevents unauthorized access by attempting different keys.
8. The method of claim 1 , where the generated value is predetermined based on the embedded information such that damage or alteration to the medium or a change in a measurement technique prevents the recovery of the embedded information.
In the method for retrieving hidden information (as described in Claim 1), the value generated from measuring the physical characteristics of the data storage medium is predetermined based on the embedded information. This means if the medium is damaged, altered, or the measurement technique is changed in any way, the correct value cannot be generated, making the embedded information impossible to recover and protecting against tampering.
9. The method of claim 1 , where generating a representation includes: creating a binary number with a number of bits determined by a length of time elapsed during said measuring, where a value of the binary number is determined by a value of the measured physical characteristic during said length of time.
In the method for retrieving hidden information (as described in Claim 1), the system creates a digital representation of the data (the security key) by creating a binary number. The number of bits in this binary number is determined by the duration of the measurement process. Each bit's value within the binary number is determined by the measured physical characteristic's value during that measurement period.
10. The method of claim 9 , where the length of time is measured in discrete intervals such that each bit is associated with a discrete interval, and where a bit value is determined by a value of the measured physical characteristic during said discrete interval.
In the method for creating a binary representation of data based on physical measurements (as described in Claim 9), the measurement period is divided into discrete time intervals. Each bit in the binary number corresponds to one of these time intervals. The value of each bit (0 or 1) is determined by the value of the measured physical characteristic within that specific time interval. This allows mapping variations in the physical property to distinct binary values.
11. The method of claim 1 , the signal pulse being an optical signal pulse.
The method of recovering encoding information as previously described (Claim 1) uses an optical signal pulse as the propagating signal to measure the physical transmission characteristic of the storage medium.
12. The method of claim 1 , the signal pulse being an ultrasonic signal pulse.
The method of recovering encoding information as previously described (Claim 1) uses an ultrasonic signal pulse as the propagating signal to measure the physical transmission characteristic of the storage medium.
13. The method of claim 1 , the signal pulse being a voltage signal pulse.
The method of recovering encoding information as previously described (Claim 1) uses a voltage signal pulse as the propagating signal to measure the physical transmission characteristic of the storage medium.
14. An apparatus for recovering encoding information embedded in a non-transitory data storage medium, the apparatus comprising: a hardware device; a measurement unit of the hardware device that measures a physical transmission characteristic of the medium as a signal pulse propagation between a beginning point and an end point of a signal conductor path; a value generator that generates a value based on the measured characteristic depending upon a return propagated along said conductor path; and an information recovery portion that generates a security key as a representation of the embedded information based on the generated value by encoding said generated value to prevent unauthorized data access.
An apparatus to recover hidden information includes: a hardware device; a measurement unit that sends an electrical, optical, or ultrasonic signal pulse along a path in a storage medium and measures how the signal changes; a value generator that creates a value based on the returning signal's properties; and an information recovery component that encodes this value into a security key. The security key represents the original hidden information and prevents unauthorized access.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , where the information recovery portion generates an encrypted key based on the encoded value.
The apparatus for recovering hidden information by measuring signal pulse propagation (as described in Claim 14) contains an information recovery component that generates an encrypted key based on the encoded value. This adds another layer of security to the access key derived from the physical characteristic measurement. The encryption prevents simple decoding of the value representing the device's physical properties.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , the apparatus further comprising an encrypted memory operably connected to the information recovery portion; where the encrypted key is a decryption key to decrypt data stored in said memory.
The apparatus for recovering hidden information (as described in Claim 15) contains an encrypted memory component operably connected to the information recovery portion. The encrypted key generated by the information recovery portion is a decryption key used to unlock data stored in this encrypted memory. The memory stores data protected by the key derived from the device's physical characteristics.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , where the information recovery portion determines if the generated key is a correct key by comparing the generated value to a predetermined value based on an expected measurement for said physical characteristic.
The apparatus for recovering hidden information and generating a key (as described in Claim 15) includes an information recovery component that determines if the generated key is correct. It does this by comparing the generated value (based on the physical measurement) to a pre-determined value that represents the expected measurement for the physical characteristic of the data storage medium. This verification step ensures the integrity of the key generation process.
18. The apparatus of claim 14 , where: the medium includes signal conductor with predetermined transmission characteristics, and the measurement unit measures a physical characteristic of said conductor by passing a signal through the conductor from a measurement starting point to a measurement ending point; and measuring a property of the signal conductor by comparing the signal at the measurement starting point and with the signal at the measurement ending point.
The apparatus for recovering hidden information (as described in Claim 14) operates with a storage medium that includes a signal conductor having specific transmission properties. The measurement unit measures a physical characteristic of this conductor by sending a signal from a start point to an end point along the conductor. The apparatus then compares the signal at the start point to the signal at the end point to determine a property of the signal conductor.
19. The apparatus of claim 14 , the apparatus further comprising an encrypted device whose operation is contingent on receipts of a valid access key; where the generated representation of the embedded information includes information representing an access key for the encrypted device; and where said encrypted device is operably connected to said information recovery portion.
The apparatus for recovering hidden information (as described in Claim 14) contains an encrypted device that requires a valid access key to operate. The apparatus generates a representation of embedded information that serves as the access key for this encrypted device. The encrypted device is operably connected to the information recovery portion of the apparatus to receive this key.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , where the encrypted device is configured such that providing an invalid access key to the encrypted device causes the encrypted device to become permanently inoperable.
In the apparatus for recovering information and controlling an encrypted device (as described in Claim 19), the encrypted device is configured such that providing an incorrect access key causes the device to become permanently unusable. This serves as a security measure to prevent unauthorized access by continually trying different keys.
21. The apparatus of claim 14 , where the generated value is predetermined based on the embedded information such that damage or alteration to the medium or a change in a measurement technique prevents the recovery of the embedded information.
The apparatus for recovering hidden information (as described in Claim 14) generates a value based on the physical characteristics, and this generated value is predetermined based on the embedded information. If the storage medium is damaged, altered, or the measurement process changes, the correct value cannot be obtained, preventing recovery of the embedded information.
22. The apparatus of claim 14 , the apparatus further comprising a clock; and where said clock measures a length of time elapsed during said measuring; and where the information recovery portion generates said representation by creating a binary number with a number of bits determined by said length of time, where a value of the binary number is determined by a value of the measured physical characteristic during said length of time.
The apparatus for recovering hidden information (as described in Claim 14) has a clock and measures a length of time. The information recovery creates a binary number representation of the data. The length of time for measurement defines how many bits are in the binary number. And the value of the measured characteristic during the length of time defines the value of the binary number itself.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 , where the clock measures said length of time in discrete intervals such that each bit is associated with a discrete interval, and where a bit value is determined by a value of the measured physical characteristic during said discrete interval.
The apparatus for recovering hidden information based on time-based binary values (as described in Claim 22) uses a clock that measures time in discrete intervals. Each bit corresponds with a discrete interval. A bit's value corresponds to measured physical characteristics from its discrete time interval.
24. The method of claim 14 , the signal pulse being an optical signal pulse.
The apparatus for recovering encoding information as previously described (Claim 14) uses an optical signal pulse as the propagating signal to measure the physical transmission characteristic of the storage medium.
25. The method of claim 14 , the signal pulse being an ultrasonic signal pulse.
The apparatus for recovering encoding information as previously described (Claim 14) uses an ultrasonic signal pulse as the propagating signal to measure the physical transmission characteristic of the storage medium.
26. The method of claim 14 , the signal pulse being a voltage signal pulse.
The apparatus for recovering encoding information as previously described (Claim 14) uses a voltage signal pulse as the propagating signal to measure the physical transmission characteristic of the storage medium.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
April 12, 2012
July 30, 2013
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